Hot Wheels Battle Force 5 Ascent of the Red Sentients II Twisted
by mikelaanna
Summary: Sequel to Hot Wheels Battle Force 5 Gladiators Twisted! Guess who comes back? The magical alien, Silver, is found and brought to earth. But why such hostility towards Sage? What's the Guardian's deal with Sentients? The team is baffled by her history, but their Scout can't help but feel a slight attraction. Did he feel a connection the last time they parted? Will he make a move?
1. Chapter 1

Thunder rumbled in the zone as the sound of fallen warriors played in harmony. Vert face two of the deadliest beings in the multiverse; Krytus and Kyrosys, red sentients with a red hot temperament to match. In a growling voice, Krytus gave Vert a choice.

"How do you want this to end, human? His fire?" he glanced at Kyrosys' flaming wheels. "Or my blades?" Vert didn't like either of his options. He was outnumbered, _almost_ out-skilled, but overall, sorely in need of backup.

"Vert!" Zoom's voice piped up through the com-link. "I got the fuser!"

"Sage, Zoom has the fuser." The leader looked at his on-board computer, mind enveloped with an idea. "Can you get him _here_ by matching the Chopper and Saber's frequencies?" Sage hurriedly clicked away on her blue quantum computer.

"I'm reconfiguring the fuser which will allow Zoom to zone-jump to your coordinates." She nodded. "Ready in five, four, three, two…"

A portal burst open a few yards away from Vert's position, and Zoom shot through. Krytus and Kyrosys shielded their eyes from the light emitted when the fuser hit the ground and exploded into funnels of energy.

"Unite!" Vert yelled, driving for the vortex.

"And strike!" Zoom followed just behind and together, they drove into Sage's newest weapon. A fuser, able to take two sentient vehicles and combine their greatest assets into a hybrid with greater power, speed, and agility. The team mates came soaring out on a saber-like jet. The leader sat in the main driver's seat with a windshield and red body like the Saber, while the scout rode in an open cockpit colored yellow, just above him. Wings popped out on either side and the front unfolded to reveal the deadly chainsaw that Saber was famous for. But once on the ground, Skyknife drove like a massive trike; two wheels on the front and one giant wheel in the back. As an extra touch, the boys' uniforms also transformed to white and red or orange, according to the driver.

Screaming through the air, the hybrid held an intimidating sight. Kyrosys lit his wheels and launched two circles of fire into the air, hoping to clip the Skyknife's wings. Vert timed an expert maneuver, dodging sideways then flipping past the two shots.

"Woah," Vert raised his eyebrows at the astonishing control. "Sage wasn't kidding about this fusion power!"

"I hear that! Skyknife is AWESOME!" Zoom gave a whoop as they swooped down on the red sentients and scraped the top of Krytus, who roared his disapproval.

Kyrosys launched another pair of flaming wheels. Vert swooped around, dodging them easily, but at a cost. The energy they used shook the hybrid, causing a noticeable vibration through the vehicle.

"Woah…" Zoom glanced down at Vert. "Is that the 'tremor' Sage said…"

"…that means our ride is half up?" Vert nodded. "Afraid so… Just means we gotta fight faster!" He took the Skyknife in for another dive, gliding over the ground and missing both sentients by an inch. Vert circled around to give it another go, but the vibrations began again, this time accompanied by the flicker of uniform color fading back to the originals.

"Hang on!" Vert yelled. "The Skyknife is out of energy!" Too late to turn around, the hybrid continued its course toward the enemy. It passed them, skimmed the ground, and with a flash of light, reverted back to its original form of the Chopper and Saber. The drivers pulled a one-eighty before stopping at the foot of dirt mounds. Krytus and Kyrosys closed in with evil grins on their faces.

"Time to send you back to your respawn chambers, Krytus!" Vert clenched his jaw with determination.

"Unless we send you to oblivion first!" the red sentient roared. "You had your chance humans…"

"We have no mercy." Kyrosys hissed with a devilish grin.

"When it comes to sentient scumbags like you," called a familiar voice. "neither do I."

Both parties' attention turned to the cloaked figure standing atop the mound behind Vert and Zoom. A black cape and hood hid the physical features, but Zoom didn't need a face to match the voice. He knew who it belonged to.

"Silver?" the scout almost stopped breathing to hear a response. A gloved hand reached up and pulled the hood back, revealing black hair with a metallic silver streak near the front, a determined smile, and startlingly vivid rainbow colored eyes.

"The one and only." she said. Zoom released a whoop.

"Haha!" he laughed, punching a fist in the air. "She's back!"

"Ah, back from your hundred-year nap, Guardian?" Krytus said, peering up at her with a slight chuckle. "Judging from the condition of your home world, the Order chose wrongly for their protector." Even from his distant position, Vert could see Silver clench her jaw in a quiet reaction.

"Silver, what's he talking about?" he asked with a confused expression. But she brushed his question aside and focused on Krytus.

"As did the Red sentients choose for their leader." Silver retorted, then cocked her head in mockery. "What happened? Oh yeah. All of the red planet frozen in stasis without the peace of death to rest their souls. They stand there, like trophies of war unknowingly on display for the world to see your _failure."_ This earned a furious roar from Krytus. Silver smiled, knowing she struck a nerve. Zoom was surprised Kyrosys didn't burn her to a crisp. He looked at Vert and made eye contact. With the brotherly connection they shared, Vert roughly read: _what are they doing?_

Silver started to walk down the incline and a glint of light betrayed the steel blade beneath her robe. "I read up on my history and know aaaaaalll about your little mishap."

"In contrast, my world isn't reduced to pillars of metal and heaps of stone." Krytus gestured around himself. "I had such fun hearing the ridiculous pleas your people gave me before I snuffed out their rebellious spark. Your masters especially,"

Silver did her best to conceal a scream climbing in her throat, but Krytus didn't need a physical response to know he'd bore through to her core.

"Strange really," the sentient's face made an evil grin. "even to his last breath, one master spoke only of you. I gave him the chance to become welcomed into the sentient race, but instead, he ranted on about how he would remain faithful to the guardian." Krytus watched Silver's guard drop as he tore open her deffense with mere words. "How noble." He finished with a smile that pushed his opponent over the edge. Silver released the scream stuck in her throat and launched herself at Krytus, blade held firmly in front. This was the kind of reaction the red sentient had hoped for, and he signaled Kyrosys. Two flaming wheels flew at Silver, causing Zoom and Vert immediately took action. The guardian didn't need their help, though. A white glow filled her eyes. With the flick of her hands, water came up from the ground and extinguished the fire, producing a huge cloud of steam. The sentients didn't see her coming, and she rushed in with vengeance as Silver burst through the fog high above the Syfurious. Her steel blade slashed across the red vehicle, missing Krytus, and left a nasty glowing mark in its place. With excellent grace, she somersaulted through the air and landed behind the vehicle. Vert and Zoom followed closely behind and the battle began. Kyrosys immediately launched two more wheels, both in chase after Zoom.

"Woah!" the scout veered to the side, and the flames turned and followed. He kept glancing back at the fire as he came up with an idea…

In the meanwhile, Vert and Silver took on Krytus. The Saber nearly hit the red sentient vehicle, but missed as it darted to the side. Krytus shot up a rock ramp. His vehicle dissipated into glowing, crystal-like pieces and Krytus emerged, soaring through the air with a blade for an arm. He plummeted down hard onto the Saber, thrusting his blade into its scarlet frame just below the windshield. The sword was quickly pulled free in order to parry a strike from Silver. Vert launched out of Saber as the windshield pulled away, red-hilt sword close behind. Catching it in the air, he rushed in to help the guardian.

Silver focused her anger as she parried the red sentient's thrusts. She glanced to see Vert rush in behind her opponent, and was vaguely aware of Zoom racing on Chopper. Krytus took the distracted opportunity to slice across her midriff. Silver leapt back in time to avoid a lethal wound, but received a thin cut. A scarlet stream ran down her stomach as she panted and opened up space between herself and Krytus, who whirled to defend from Vert. Silver roared and launched herself at the red sentient, her rage fueling her skill and energy. With glowing eyes, she summoned water and magic around her sword as she charged.

Vert and Silver fought side by side, still trying to get used to each other's fighting presence. But, the more they fended off Krytus together, the better their attacks pushed the sentient backwards. Silver barely noticed the cuts across her arms as she felt victory draw near. Her eyes glowed and she fired two icicles from a nearby puddle. The sentient broke them both in midair and they shattered, spritzing Vert and Silver with shards.

"You may have strength in numbers," Krytus growled and made a wide sweep across both of them, causing them to step back and catch their breath. "but I cannot be defeated! Your efforts are futile." Then, with a new rush of power, Krytus thrust out his other arm, forming a second blade and advanced. The two partners were pushed back and almost lost their balance.

In the meantime, Zoom drove madly to avoid flaming wheels wheels. Circling around, he drove directly for Kyrosys, the wheels in close pursuit. With a racing heartbeat, the scout hoped his idea would work. Kyrosys was so busy staring at the screen to steer his fire wheels, he didn't see Zoom coming straight for him. Just before Zoom collided with the red vehicle, he veered to the side. The fire wheels didn't have any time to change direction and the impact was extraordinary. Kyrosys erupted into plume of flames and his essence burned through the sky as Zoom smiled in triumph.

Krytus watched his comrade's essence blaze off into the distance and roared angrily. Silver and Vert were weakened and tiring, and the sentient kept pushing harder and faster. Surprisingly, Vert was nearly unharmed as opposed to Silver whose body looked streaked with red dye. Zoom came in to help his friends and shot a grappling claw at Krytus's arm, hoping to drag him across the dirt.

"Got him!" he smiled and drove past the sentient. Vert watched, horrified.

"Zoom, no!" the leader shouted.

Krytus chuckled and yanked on the wire, pulling the Chopper of balance and towards his razor sharp blades! Silver acted quickly. Water collected into a ball, then pushed the yellow bike and its rider out of the way before Silver cut the wire. Zoom rolled to the ground, disoriented, and his bike tumbled next to him. The guardian kept the collected water hovering in the air, but sheathed her sword. She unclasped her cloak at the neck, letting it fall to the ground. Rain began to gently patter the earth and some collected into the puddles she suspended in the air. Krytus looked almost pleased.

"Let's see what the full Gaurdian power really looks like." He taunted.

"Oh," Silver waved her arms and crouched in an odd fighting position, hands crossed in front of her face, eyes aglow. "I'll _show you_ what it looks like." She was more than ready to finish this fight. Krytus charged and Silver thrust her hands forward in a pushing motion. The water formed a wall, then a bubble around the red sentient. Krytus slashed viscously at his liquid prison with a wild expression as Vert stood back and watched in amazement. He could see Silver struggling to keep the strong sentient contained. The guardian inhaled. Then, on the exhale, she froze the entire orb with its captive inside. With a swift, slicing motion of her hands, the orb dropped to the ground and shattered. Krytus somehow survived, but kneeled on the wet ground, dazed. Silver drew her sword and swept up magic water to hold the sentient in place as she walked up to him. With the patter of rain, Vert could hear Krytus… almost moaning.

"This is for the Order, for my people, and for SORREN!" She said, and viciously thrust the blade into his chest. The red sentient exploded and his essence blazed through the sky, off into the distance. Silver breathed deep, relaxing the weapon in her hand. The rain turned into a drizzle. The sound of war pressed on through the sky, louder and more noticeable then before.

"You are avenged, my dearest friend." She whispered to herself, and a tear slipped down her face. Zoom, smudged with dirt and soot, walked up to the guardian with his helmet in hand.

"That was awesome!" he grinned, "They're all… gone!" Vert nodded with a bit of regret.

"For now…" he remarked. Silver looked at the leader quizzically.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…" Zoom scratched his head and laughed nervously. Silver's face became unreadable, a slightly scary sign.

"Look, how about you come with us and visit earth?" Vert suggested while hopping into Saber. "Our friend, Sage, can fill you in on everything that's happened. Maybe stay a couple nights because we have some questions of our own." Silver face didn't change.

"C'mon." Zoom chided. "You need to get those cuts treated and we've got a lot to talk about." Silver glanced at the mini trickles of blood running down her arms and abdomen that the rain slowly washed away. She could bandage the wounds herself, but the guardian's mind went back to when she first met the team, and then how she left. She looked back and forth at the boys, then raised her index finger.

"One night." She said. Silver sheathed her blade before picking her cloak up off the ground, fastening it around her neck, and pulling up her hood.

"Where do you stay, anyway?" the scout asked as he popped on his helmet.

"I have a cave not far from here." She followed him to his bike, sprawled on its side. With the motion of her hands and the glow of her eyes, water from a nearby puddle pushed the massive damaged vehicle upright. Zoom slid onto Chopper. Surprisingly, it still started and thrummed with a heartbeat only a machine can make.

"Do you need anything?" Vert pulled the saber up next to them.

"Just a little. If you wait here, I'll be back with my things shortly." Silver swept up a wave beneath her and nodded to the boys. As long as she held the magic, the strange white glow in her eyes persisted.

"We could give you a ride," Zoom shrugged, trying to make eye contact. It was odd speaking to a pair of white eyes.

"No." She responded quickly. "I mean, no thank you. I would like to go alone." The guardian gathered the wave under her a bit higher before speeding away. The boys looked at each other.

"Odd, don't you think?" Vert made asked his scout.

"What?" Zoom sighed. "Silver or her planet?" His leader chuckled.

"Both."

"What happened here?" Zoom drove in a wide circle, weaving in and out of metal shafts sticking from the ground. The rain pattered on the ground and thunder rumbled in the distance.

"Guess we'll find out when we get back to the hub." Vert com-ed into the rest of the team, scattered in other battle zones. "Everybody ok?"

"It's quiet as an alien desert, mate." Stanford responded in his thick accent.

"We're all good here Vert." Agura's voice spoke up. "How are you and Zoom?"

"You are not going to believe who we found." The scout shook his head and grinned.

"Who?" Spinner looked quizzically at Sherman, waiting for the response. "Zemerick?" Just then, Silver rode up to Chopper on her wave, eyes still aglow. She carried a small satchel at her side beneath her dripping wet cloak.

"Ready." She said, and the wave flattened to the ground into a puddle. Her eyes returned to their natural state. Zoom grinned and clicked a button beside his helmet that transmitted a live video feed.

"Say hello!" he looked at her and chuckled.

"Um… hello?" Silver pulled her hood back a little, her confusion evident. The team all spoke in unison, staring at their onboard screens.

"SILVER?"

"You're alive?" Stanford half exclaimed, half questioned.

"How did you escape?" Agura asked, but Silver couldn't hear them. All she could see was Vert watching with an amused expression and Zoom laughing.

"What's going on?" she crossed her arms and walked up to Zoom. Annoyed, Silver knocked on the top of his helmet like a door. "Hello? Is Zoom's brain in there? I would like to speak with it please."

"Sorry," he collected himself. "Guys, she can't hear you."

"Who are you talking to?"

"The team." Zoom grinned and pressed a button on his dashboard. Four screens with shocked faces popped up, and Silver recognized them with a smile.

"Hello," she nodded the greeting.

"How did you escape the creepy robot battlezone?" Spinner asked.

"I'll explain everything later."

"Silver is staying over a night so we can catch up and get some answers," Vert explained.

" _And_ tell me how the red sentients got released." Silver filled in.

"Yeah, um… funny story actually… uh…" Spinner fidgeted with his fingers and tried to laugh, but it was too nervous to convince the guardian of any humor. She sighed.

"Like I said," Zoom looked at the guardian. "we've got a lot to talk about." He revved the massive yellow bike and nodded behind himself. "Get on." The live feed ended, and Silver shouldered her satchel.

"Can't say no this time, can I?" she teased gently, rain dripping off the lip of her hood.

"No you cannot." Zoom gave her a playful, serious look. The guardian slid onto Chopper behind him. A slight tingle buzzed up Zoom's spine when she wrapped and arm around his waist, and he could feel Silver's warmth as she settled in behind him.

"Let's go." Vert ordered, and the two vehicles sped off through the rain.


	2. Backstories

**Chapter 2**

Back on earth, after Sage managed to somehow re-create the zone jumps, the group broke through the portal to earth. The first thing Silver noticed was the blistering heat, especially in her black clothing. The second was the very dry desert, dotted with a cactus here and there. Vert reached out and sealed the portal while Silver took in the surroundings.

"Welcome to Earth!" Spinner cheerily said. "Home to seven billion humans, the great wall of China, Mount Saint Helens, and most importantly, _pizza!"_

"But," Sherman corrected. "we're specifically in Handler's Corners which is home to maybe 70 humans, a rusty power plant, Zeke's diner, and that's where we've got pizza." Silver's face held a curious expression.

"What's pizza?" she asked innocently. Spinner was aghast and almost threw a fit.

"HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW THE DELICIOUS SLICED HEAVEN OF ZA?!" he nearly screamed.

"We don't have this 'za' back on Faven."

"PIZZA," the Cortez almost spit. "is a sacred American food with cheese, pepperoni, crust, and whatever else you want on it. If it's the last thing you do here, you WILL eat 'za,' Silver Mayali!" Spinner spoke with such dedication, Silver wondered what would happen if she refused.

"Don't mind Spin," Agura rolled her eyes. "he's just…"

"Obsessed?" the guardian arched an eyebrow. Everyone chuckled.

"That's exactly it." Zoom looked back at her with a gentle laugh. The team continued to the hub on the highway, jeering playfully at Spinner and his obsession. Silver smiled at their love for each other and felt… good. She felt a warmth she hadn't experienced for a long while, but in a way, it scared her a little. It was almost too easy to become close friends… or maybe something more. What if something happened and she got too attached, then lost them or they got hurt on her own account? The guardian made a secret, silent promise to herself…

"We're here," Vert called. A small, sleek garage grew closer. But as they approached, the doors didn't open. They instead, drove past and onto the desert plain behind it.

"We've got a back door to our secret underground base." Stanford boasted as five panels of ground slid away to reveal ramps. Each vehicle took a different route, but they all ended up in the same enormous room. Silver craned her neck looking at the full space.

"Nice," She commented with a nod. They all reached the center and each vehicle parked in their color coordinated circle. Silver slid off Chopper, then froze as she saw a blue sentient float up to her. The guardian felt something well up inside, and her breathing became quick, her fists sweaty, as she quietly drew her blade beneath her cloak.

"Greetings, I – " Sage was cut off by the sharp steel held at her chest. She gasped at the color of Silver's eyes.

"I know very well who you are." Silver responded darkly as the blade shook with her emotion. The team immediately leapt to protect the sentient, but couldn't do much as any sudden movements might cause Sage's death. Vert whipped out his sword, but didn't advance.

"Silver, what are you doing?" Vert cautiously held his blade ready. "Drop your sword, Sage is a friend!"

"You're with _her?"_ Silver cried, glancing at the leader. "Her race killed my people… you MURDERER!" the blade came closer to Sage's chest.

"Sage," Vert looked at the sentient. "is this true?"

"Yes." Sage admitted grimly.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you now…" the guardian threatened as her blade shook, hovering a centimeter away from its target.

"I do not have a reason. You have every right to avenge your people as you would be making mine extinct in doing so."

The guardian's sword inched slightly away. Even in all her anger at the sentient, she felt it would be… wrong. Sage continued.

"But, in destroying me, you would also jeopardize earth and its safety. With me gone, Krytus would be free to invade earth and humanity would fall."

Silver slowly lowered her blade. Then, angry and frustrated, she threw it to the floor. It clattered against the concrete and Zoom cautiously went to pick it up.

"I can't." She said quietly, then crumpled to the floor with her face in her hands. Her chest heaved, and quiet tears flowed more freely than they had in a very long time… Vert put away his sword and walked over to Silver. He put a hand on the crying girl's shoulder, and she quickly pulled the black hood up and over her eyes.

"No," she whispered. All the leader could see was her chin and mouth with wet pathways where her tears flowed. Zoom came up on her other side and crouched beside her, wanting to be a help, but she only pulled the edges of her hood lower and bowed her head.

"Please." Silver's said.

"Ok," Vert gently rubbed her shoulder, which she tried to shrug off, before standing. "meet in the rec-room – everybody, in thirty minutes." He then looked at Agura and gestured to Silver. The huntress understood and tried to take up the weak girl, but she resisted the help.

"I'll be fine." Silver stood, turned, and walked a little ways up the ramp that the vehicles used to enter and exit the hub. There, she sat with her legs crossed and back facing the team. Silver seemed to calm down and stayed in that unmoving position while the others went to give Sage the update on facing Krytus. Agura sidled up to Vert with a worried expression.

"We keep getting more questions than answers." She lowered her voice and glanced back at Silver.

"My thoughts exactly." Vert replied in the same lowered volume. "We need to at least get something from Sage that will help clear this up." Agura nodded. They strode up to the blue sentient.

"With the exception of certain… details," Sage hesitated. "Did your mission prove successful?"

"Define 'successful'." Stanford sighed.

"We weren't able to stop Krytus from releasing his team," Sherman said regretfully.

"We cracked all their shells." Spinner grinned.

" _But_ with their respawn chambers," Agura corrected.

"It's five up, five down." Vert finished.

"That is correct." The blue sentient looked around at the group and nodded with a frown. This was going to be frustrating.

"Oh, and your brother says hi." Vert teased.

"Needs to work on his goodbyes, though." Stanford lounged on Reverb and waved. Sage was grateful for the attempt to make the atmosphere lighter, but she was not one to sugar-coat the facts.

"My congratulations on your triumph, but Krytus and his red sentients are resurrecting as we speak." Sage made a regretful expression at the team. "Until we find their re-spawn chambers, this will be a long war, a long war indeed." Vert looked at Agura, who nodded. He popped the question.

"Uh, Sage?" Vert asked as she was about to turn away. "What was Silver talking about? This whole thing about you… killing… her race?"

"Yeah," Zoom stepped in. "what happened?" The sentient faced them both with a sad look. Then her expression relaxed and she pulled out her computer.

"I did not wish to share this with you, as it is one of my greatest regrets." A file opened, containing video feed of the history. "But seeing as we have here with us the Guardian of Faven herself, it seems necessary you know the history we share." Sage explained as it played out the video.

"Some time before our great war started, the red and blue sentients made an alliance to face what we called 'the flaw' in the multiverse." The video showed a planet, then zoomed in to show the people inhabiting it. They looked like humans, with the exception of the eyes and hair. Some had pink eyes with green hair, others had black eyes with blonde hair with blue highlights. The colors were all different shades. Zoom noticed none of them had eyes as colorful as Silver.

"Favians held what we never understood – magic. You already know sentients are beings of logic and science. When we discovered the incomprehensible skill of magic, a power uncontrollable and defying of most laws of physics, was hosted on Faven, both red and blue sentients absolutely despised it."

Zoom looked back at Silver on the ramp. She hadn't moved, but the scout figured she was listening.

"This one thing both races had forever agreed on: magic was a flaw in the multiverse existence. We wished it gone. But, seeing as Faven also hosted millions of living beings, we kept separated instead of starting war. This was the state of the races lasted since we were created, until the news came that Faven had chosen its first Gaurdian."

At this point, Silver stood and walked over to the group with a placid face. They all glanced at her, then each other. She sat again in the same posture, with her head uncovered. Sage stopped and looked at her, checking if it further words would upset the Guardian herself.

"Please continue." She requested flatly. Sage turned back to her screen.

"As I was saying, Faven chose its first Gaurdian. She was meant to be a secret to the multiverse, but when we were alerted of a new power born to our enemy, we felt ourselves threatened. And so, the alliance was formed for the sole purpose of containing Faven, its people, and ultimately the Gaurdian."

The screen flashed the invasion of the Red and Blue sentients working together against Favians. Vert recognized one of the Red leaders as Krytus. Hundreds of Favians were pushed together and locked in chains, but they fought back with gusto and determination.

"I know now that we hoped to contain something we did not understand. War was evident. In battle, we lost many lives in the effort to detain our enemy. But, because we were never able to successfully detain a single Favian, a vote was cast among the alliance leaders whether to wipe them out completely. The vote was unanimous to annihilate Faven."

The team watched the choice made among a circle of eight red and blue sentients. Then, the grim scene of Faven's destruction began to unfold. Mobius command vehicles plowed through settlements and cities, firing missiles non-stop. With magical abilities, the inhabitants tried to penetrate the machine with ice, fire, and all sorts of colored blasts and bullets. All of them fell, never to stand again. Sentients, both red and blue, raided the cities, slicing through anyone in their way. Stanford had to turn away at the scene.

"We were more successful in destruction than in containment, and Faven fell. Though, even with all our efforts, we were never confronted by our main target. We finished every last Favian, and yet, we never finished its Gaurdian, as was the goal. Word spread that it had disappeared, fallen asleep, not knowing when to return."

Zoom looked at Silver, sitting cross-legged on the floor, and she looked extremely calm for someone watching her own planet's destruction.

"Wait," the scout waved for a time-out. "if this was hundreds of years ago, and Silver was the Gaurdian, that would make you…" he looked at her unbelievingly.

"Old." She stated flatly. "In earth years, I would be a dead human with few bones left from my corpse." Zoom was speechless.

"You look… good," he stammered. "I mean, you know, for an ancient woman - I m-mean guardian." Inwardly, Silver was slightly amused by his fumbling. But outwardly, she merely blinked. She turned her face back to Sage while the team snickered at their scout. _Great,_ he thought. _They definitely won't let that one go too easily._ The blue sentient continued in a regretful voice.

"With Faven left in ruins, and the Gaurdian missing, the sentients returned to their home worlds, and shortly afterwards, the war between the two races started. You all know the rest of the story." Sage finished, and the file closed. Silver could feel the team's eyes all on her, and she averted her eyes to the floor.

"Events have changed," the blue sentient spoke quietly. "and at this point, I wish to apologize for all the pain we – I, caused you. I don't know it you will accept my apology, and I know I can never redeem myself for the damage I have done. But I can say in truth that I regret it immensely and now know your degree of suffering firsthand as being the last of your race." Sage approached the guardian seated on the floor. Silver held silent for a moment, then looked the blue sentient in the eyes. Her voice quavered as she spoke.

"I don't know whether I can forgive you. But I can tell you that you have never reached my degree of pain." Silver took from her satchel, a cube about the size of her palm and held it in her lap. She cleared her throat and swallowed. "I wish to show my explanation and story." Sage nodded and stepped back. Silver's eyes glowed while her hands moved with magic. The cube floated between her hands, and a blue stream of water flowed out of the top before separating into different figures. "This is the magic domain of light, this is how the magic partners organize the abilities each Favian holds. Every Favian is born within some part of the domain. In the domain we have beneath it called the 'parent.' There are two 'parents,' the sun and the moon."

Two circles above all the others in the figure started to glow and morphed into a model of a moon and sun.

"The people born within these have the broadest ability because not only do they hold the ability of the parent, but of all the abilities beneath it as well. This had never been done until the very first guardian was created. I was born of the Moon in the domain of Light. Underneath the Moon is three elements: air, water, and prism. This is the range of my power as the first guardian."

She breathed and the water molded together, ready for the next part of her explanation.

"That's about the basics of half of the Light Domain. Now," she placed the cube on the floor and touched its side. More water flowed out and created a small table, which then morphed into a three-dimensional scene of a building with people walking in and out. There was no color except a slight blue hue from the water, but the picture was enough to portray the story. Silver settled back and continued. "we start at the Order. The Order was a group of twenty-five the oldest and most skilled Light Domain Favians to ever live. Their job was to keep peace and balance between the Light and Dark domains on our planet, and they did it wonderfully well. The members of the Order changed over time, but their purpose remained the same. Further along the time-line, the sentients were created. Faven and the red and blue home worlds were aware of each other but stayed separate."

The picture formed three planets, then shifted to a picture of the moon orbiting Faven.

"Sometime afterwards… I'm not exactly sure how long in your earth years that would be… an Oracle of the Order foresaw that the Moon was going to give Faven a guardian. This guardian was foretold to be the most powerful of all Favians that ever lived and would grow to protect and guide the people through future troubles."

The picture showed a baby in the center of the moon, and then the small figure dissolved and re-appeared in the center of Faven. The baby fully formed, disappeared again and the scene changed. An infant girl immerged in the front yard of a house. A beautiful, elegant woman strode into the scene, picked up the child, and cradled it.

"I was born from the Moon and the planet Faven itself. Once I was found, I was immediately taken to the Order where I was given the best treatment and training necessary to master the gaurdian powers. I learned and trained constantly. My masters were members of the Order themselves, and they were hard… but loving."

The scene morphed into the picture of a little girl playing in the water with her magic as her master stood behind, smiling. Next was a scene of the girl again, but grown just a bit. Vert recognized her as an eight-year old version of Silver. She held a practice sword and dueled her master who stopped her every once in a while to correct the moves and stance. The scene changed once again. Silver was about the age she currently looked, and training in self-defense with a young master. Zoom looked closer. He was a very young master, probably about the age of Silver.

The guardian's blue figure grit her teeth as she went hand-to-hand with her chiseled master. He didn't even seem winded while Silver continually threw punches, all of which missed. The master dodged every single blow and rarely struck back. He grinned as the girl paused to catch her breath, then he dropped to the ground and swept her feet out from under her. Silver slapped down flat on her back. The master stood up and held out a hand with a smile. Instead of accepting the gesture, the guardian leapt up and tackled her young master to the ground. There was no sound with the figures, but Zoom assumed from their faces that they were laughing as they pushed each around.

He had never seen such a happy expression across Silver's face before. He looked at the guardian now, sitting rigid with a placid face while staring at the scene of her past.

"Who is that?" Zoom asked. No response or acknowledgement. The scene changed and Silver continued her story.

"Life was good," She said in monotone. "until the sentient raids began." Glimpses of different attacks flashed before the team. "The Order attempted to keep my life a secret, should my presence and power invoke a possible war even though my purpose served differently. Somehow, word of my existence made its way to the enemy and they began to search for me."

Silver tapped the cube, and the water flowed back inside. All eyes turned to her. "As the appointed protector of my people, I was expected to use my abilities and stop the attacks. But I was still in training, so the Order sent troops and attempted to feed misinformation to delay my discovery."

The guardian pulled from her bag a red sentient prisoner's collar. "I thought I was safe until a raid reached our doorstep. At this time, the Order felt I was ready to use my power and at least stop the Sentients in my local city. I felt differently.

"The night before my offensive attack, I laid in bed, thinking about the war and the pressure I was under to stop everything and return our culture to the way it was. But I was confident in my training. All things considered, I didn't sleep well that night. Waking up wasn't pleasant either. When I awoke, a red sentient was creeping out my door with its back to me and its right hand held this collar." Silver fingered the circular device and ran a finger along the coordinates etched on the side.

"I made a slow attempt to position myself to attack, but the sentient turned and saw me awake. She attacked, reaching for my neck with the collar. I panicked and forgot how to fight back. It was almost too easy for her to snap this thing around my neck. After it was on me, I must have blacked out because the next thing I remember is waking up underground. I made it to the surface through a series of tunnels, only to find Faven a complete wreck. As far as I know, I am the last of my people. The sentients destroyed everything."

A silence settled in the room.

"Silver," Agura frowned. "we are so sorry for what happened." The guardian ignored her words, but looked Sage in the eyes.

"I guess we are the same in this issue." She said. "We are the last of our peoples."

"Seems that fate has brought us here for a reason." Sage nodded.

"Now what do we do?" Zoom asked.

"We call it a day." Vert put a hand on Silver's shoulder, which she pushed off.

"Please stop that." She requested flatly while standing up. Vert shrugged.

"Let's get a room for our guest," He looked at the guardian's gashes, encrusted with a little dried blood. "and get her to the infirmary. We can talk more later." Agura led Silver upstairs to the infirmary while Zoom and Spinner figured out the sleeping quarters. As it turns out, Sage's nano tech made guest bedrooms in fifteen minutes flat. With a bedroom done, the scout left to check on Silver's bandaging.


End file.
